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GMB urges govt rethink on state pension age

26 October 2007

Increasing the state pension age could impact on the quality of life enjoyed by people in manual employment, it has been suggested.

According to Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures, a seven-year difference in life expectancy currently exists in favour of high-paid professionals compared to manual workers.

A Pensions Commission report has called for a gradual rise in the state pension age to 68 in order to reorganise the UK's pensions system, the BBC reports.

The GMB has called on the government to rethink the proposal in light of the ONS' findings.

Commenting on behalf of the union, general secretary Paul Kenny stated his belief that manual workers should not be forced to work until a later age in order to subsidise high-paid professionals who are fortunate enough to be able to retire early.

"Until society shares equally in the benefits of longer life expectancy, manual workers should no be made to work until they drop while high paid professionals can retire early and live for decades in comfort," he argued.

The findings by the ONS also predicted that the population of the UK would pass the 70 million mark by 2030, according to the Thrifty Scot.